You are going to relax

This tune is as mad as a box of frogs, haunted synths, snake charmers, wind chimes and hypnosis, eclectic in nature, powered by analog synths and toy keyboards, rhythms driven by home-maker organs and casios, Sukia's music tends to drift towards the erotic. Released back in 1996 I still come back to this tune time and time again. Taken from the album Contacto Espacial Con El Tercer Sexo, produced by the Dust Brothers, worth checking out with more of the same wacky instruments and odd sounds.

Sukia were a Camarillo, California-based electronic band. Formed in the early 90's amidst the burgeoning Los Angeles indie music scene, Sukia took their name from the Italian vampire comic book of the same name. Following their dissolution, Sukia have gained a cult following from the release of the above titled album.

Bands place in MySpace

Return From The Planet DUB!

The Dub master that is Lee Scratch Perry returns with a new album collaborating with Vienna dub pioneers Dubblestandart. This a cover of the old Max Romeo track Chase the Devil, as covered and sampled by many artists over the years. Everything Lee Scratch Perry touches turns to gold, the master old the golden age of Reggae. Stick your headphones on, spark up a fat one and lose yourself in dub.

Buy more Lee Scratch Perry on iTunes

Bands place in MySpace - myspace.com/dubblestandart

Lee's place in MySpace - myspace.com/leescratchperry

This is a song for no one, but all of you!

I hadn't really listened to this band much, until Mr. A Black @ablackcanvas told me it was a killa album. I fell in love with tune straight away, perfect pop with a funky drummer beat. Hey the sun is shining again.

Miike Snow are a Swedish band, who formed in 2007. The band consists of singer/songwriter Andrew Wyatt, and the producing team of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, also known as Bloodshy & Avant.

Bands place in MySpace - myspace.com/miikesnow

Buy it from iTunes

Just seen Quentin Tarantino's latest movie Inglourious Basterds, set in the first year of the German occupation of France and the soundtrack is typical Tarantino. Mostly made up of obscure movie soundtracks from the likes of Ennio Morricone, Lalo Schifrin and Charles Bernstein among others. But the most poignant part of the movie is soundtracked to this old David Bowie track (1983), easily the most dramatic part of the movie, it sounds like this track was written specifically for the film, absolutely amazing!

Hectic week in London, this chills you right out after a busy day. I'm a big Nick Drake fan so I was keen to hear this cover version of Drake's Cello Song. Drake's original is a sparse acoustic affair, The books add a little electronica that brings the baseline to the fore without losing the haunting hum of the cello. Add a faultless vocal by Jose Gonzales, beautiful.

This tune is from a compilation for the Red Hot Charity. There are some great songs by amazing artists on this double album. Check it out at darkwasthenight.com

Bands place in MySpace

Jose's place in MySpace

MMmmm... Please me, I don't want to do it with.

What can I say about Bertrand Burgalat other than he is a genius! He's made 6 albums, all brilliant. Impossible to pick one track from Bertrand as there are so many great tunes. This is from the Portrait-Robot album (2005). I'll post some more in time.

Burgalat is well-known for his cool, breezy 1960s-style pop sound, something he has lent to his production work with Air. His musical influences include the "ye-ye" sound of French pop made famous by France Gall, Françoise Hardy and Brigitte Fontaine, as well as the singers Jacques Dutronc and Serge Gainsbourg.

Official site - tricatel.com

Berts place in MySpace - myspace.com/tricatelburgalat

Buy Bert - iTunes

Driving along to the rhythm of the sun.

Imagine yourself cruising in an old open top sports car along a winding road high in the mountains on a bright sunny day, the wind in your hair, designer shades and the sound of this floating out the speakers. A new album from KOC is due this September, looking forward to that!

Official site - kingsofconvenience.com

Dream with me, dream machine...

More Summer tunes, twanging banjo's trotting along to a trippy beat in the searing heat. Bob your head to this one around the pool, take it easy there's no rush.

Official site - markfarina.net

Buy it - iTunes

Let it flow baby!

Summer funky disco vibe, soak up the rays flowing out this little disco gem from 1976. I love the way it goes in to 'Kool and the Gang Summertime style' instrumental. Just add your own sunlounger and a Pina Colada.

Your in my mind your in my heart.

MSTRKRFT mix up their own brand of electro stomp with Grammy winning silky soul from John Legend. An infectious piano loop and hands in the air buzz-saw riffs together with Mr Legend's soft velvet vocals, immerse yourself in this late night summer rave.

Official site - mstrkrft.com

Official site - johnlegend.com

She's Strange and I like it!

A classic bit of funk, still sounds fresh today as it did in 1984. Drum machine beats, wonky synths, strange sirens and Larry Blackman's 'Owww!!'  Unmistakably Cameo. Pure classic!

Buy it - iTunes

Rip it up and start again!

Yacht release their new album this month, an eclectic affair to say the least, dead pan vocals, scattered beats and electronic melodies chop about all over the shop. If you like LCD Soundsystem then this is right up your street. No coincidence they are signed to James Murphy's DFA label then.

Bands place in MySpace

Official Site - teamyacht.com

Rave it up and lose your head!

This tune came out back in January this year, I heard it being played a few weeks ago in a shitty bar, it sounded brilliant so I shazamed it.

It just picks up where New Order left off, no surprise to learn that this lot are from Manchester. "Manchester has this amazing history of bands who could mix rock and dance music," say the Delphic boys.

Bands place in MySpace - myspace.com/delphic

Official Site - delphic.cc

This bloke has 9 problems and the bitch is all of them!

Look out here it comes, Heartache No. 9 is a funny song about eight bad romantic experiences that the lead singer has had in the past, with a warning about the ninth disaster that is about to arrive and will surely do him in. An old school disco stomper!

But it - iTunes

Hip Hop don't stop... Clap your hands!

Welcome back Mos Def. His new long player is The Ecstatic, I reckon this is as good as Black on both sides album from 1998 (his best album in my opinion). Another varied selection of beats and cultures. Mos Def packs in a barrage of musical styles, from the heavy influence of Bollywood to classical strings via the usual hip hop, funk and soul. If you liked Q-Tips The Renaissance from last year, you love this. Highly recommended!

His place in MySpace - myspace.com/mosdef

Buy it from iTunes

Kill Dem! Killa tune!

Been spinning Busta latest offering for the last couple of weeks, back to form Busta is cooking with gas! The perfect companion to Major Lazer's brilliant album for the summer.

Trevor Smith, better known as Busta Rhymes (born May 20, 1972)

Official site - bustarhymes.com

Buy it - iTunes

"We're gonna party and have a good time" The chorus smokes through the spooky hum of a gospel choir singing outside the gates to the end of the world. Sci-fi landscapes and funky house collide resulting in a strangely soulful cocktail of dancefloor lunacy!

Released as single from the album Organism in 1999

Jimi Tenor (born Lassi Lehto, 1965, Lahti, Finland)

Official site - jimitenor.com

Buy it - iTunes

Heard this at a wedding of all places, last Friday, a great classic house tune from 1988. Still sounds good when you play it loud! Very hard to find.

SMD with dollop of Ditto!

Gossip's Beth Ditto sounds great with backing from SMD on this forthcoming track from SMD album 'Temporary Pleasures' 

Official Site - www.simianmobiledisco.co.uk

For maximum listening pleasure just add clear blue skies, hot Caribbean sunshine, white sandy beach and a large Rum and coke.

Makes you hungry listening to this tune. With some serious old organ and skanking bass this is vintage reggae but it was made last year. Calypso Rose knows her stuff though, she been singing over 30 years and written over 800 songs.

MMmmmm Shrimp and rice anyone?

Calypso Rose (born April 27, 1940 in Bethel, Tobago) is a Tobagonian calypsonian.

Buy it on iTunes

Bring on the drums!

Friendly Fires pound in with a samba carnival of a summer tune, already a live favorite, this tune is released as a single at the end of this month. The video is pretty cool too.

Looking forward to their next album.

Official Site - wearefriendlyfires.com